Slow growth - how worried should I be?

[wilburthewalrus]

DS2 was always quite little (25th centile) but recently I realized he was just not growing out of his clothes any more. I haven't had him weighed for ages I once I went back to work I couldn't get to the health visitor's clinic, so I arranged to take him into the surgery to weigh him properly and was rather horrified to find he has dropped to the 2nd centile in the last 6 months.

Apart from his weight his development generally seems fine which is why I hadn't worried too much before, but now I find we're being referred for blood tests etc. He has had an awful lot of minor bugs (especially tummy bugs) since starting nursery before Christmas, but we thought that was just normal (DS1 was the same - though it was ear infections and colds with him). Now I am really worried there might be something wrong and I should have done something about it earlier.

Does anyone have experience of anything similar? What could be wrong? I don't even know what might cause this.

How old is he?

Dd1 was always tall for her age (75%+) and at the older end of the year so she was the tallest in her form in reception (but not in the year). In year 2, I noticed that others had caught up and overtaken her, and she no longer looked tall, but didn't think much of it.

At the end of year 3 she had pneumonia and when she was weighed for medication I made the rather horrifying discovery that she was then lighter than the last time she'd been weighed 2 years previously. Subsequent investigation showed that she had grown about 1" in 2 years too.

Over the next 2 years they took a close watch on her height and weight, and did investigations, which concluded that she had just grown early and there was nothing wrong. She is just beginning to show signs (end of year 6) that she might be about to grow a reasonable amount. She has been going up in weight and height, but very slowly.

I can't remember much of what they tested for except one was thyroid, and another was coeliac.

He's 17 months. The last time I had him weighed was before his first birthday and he appears hardly to have put on any weight in the intervening period.

Don't panic yet, my little ones were on 2nd line when born, then went to 50th and about 2 years dropped to 25th.
Kids have funny growth rates but best to check out just in case.

i will say the same don't worry to much, but you have to get him checked and if you are not happy or convince with anything try to get him checked again.
i dont want to worry you, but i have 2 children and i am worried is well as my little one 10 months is a bit smaller is well.
my friend's son was smaller is well, she keep taking him to the gp to get him checked, but they told her that she has to feed him good , fruit, veg.... ( you know there normals advices)
they never took it seriousely, untill he is 1year and seams to be really small to his age, so she went and really ask the gp to be refered to specialist, when they did, she find that he has some hormons very low and has to inject him everyday at home for 2years now, he is 3years few months and still look very small, he wears 1 1/2year clothes,
i really dont want to sound horrible or to worry you but as i said i have 3years child and 10months , the little one is very small, i am trying to get him check, hope evrything is fine with mine and with yours is well.
good luck

Coeliacs seems to be the most likely. I had thought it wasn't likely to be a food allergy as the stomach upsets don't seem to coincide with him eating anything in particular, but now I've read a little about it it does seem like it fits the bill: he is showing many of the symptoms and it doesn't always show a direct link to eating gluten in terms of when episodes occur (apparently). The temptation is to try cutting out wheat and see if it helps, but I've been told not to do that before we have the test because what they test for is the reaction, so if he hasn't been eating any gluten it won't work. Unfortunately the first appointment I could get was not for a month.

both mine have always been small and ds1 went through a period of not growing/putting on weight. he was about 12/13 mnths and had also just started nursery and had the obligitory sickness bugs/colds etc. i always remember going to a different hv with him, as my usual one was on a day I worked, and her being horrible, saying it was because i was 'dumping' him in nursery, and what did i expect!!! Anyway, we were referred to the growth clinic etc, BUT all was fine. he is now 7 and still small, but not that much smaller than the rest of his class, now ds 2 on the other hand....

Anyway, get him checked out, but dont panic, he may well sort him self out. I always remember reading somewhere that people dont grow when they are ill and I think thats what happened to ds1 in the 6/9mths after he started nursery.

Yes, don't cut out gluten before the test. Friends who did that tested negative and it took another 4 years before their dd was officially diagnosed. They would avoid mostly, but not totally, so their dd was still small/tired/tummy achy. However once diagnosed and completely cut out their dd made a huge recovery and grew hugely, and is now one of the taller ones.

Could you ask for a cancellation?